Posted By Andy Cohen On April 24, 2014 @ 5:59 am In Football | 19 Comments

[1]Andy Cohen’s column on Dolphins.com appears at 6 a.m. every weekday from training camp through the season and when events warrant during the offseason. Occasionally, like today, Andy will provide six things to think about. Thus, the title, “Six at Six.”

1. The first thing that gets your attention about the Dolphins schedule is the season opener. How can it not? The Patriots are coming. Talk about an early-season barometer, this is it. You get Tom Brady at Sun Life Stadium in the heat of September. The Dolphins have a wonderful opportunity to make a quick, powerful statement.

2. To me, the most difficult four-game stretch of the season is pretty obvious. It starts with a road game in Denver on Nov. 23rd, continues with a Monday night game at the Jets, a home game against the Ravens and concludes with a Dec. 14th game at New England. That’s the type of stretch — -a fearsome foursome — that could very well define a season.

3. I really like the fact that the game in London against the Raiders counts as a road game for the Dolphins and a home game for the Raiders. That was always my issue playing overseas. You don’t want to give up a home game as the Dolphins did when they played the Giants in London several years ago. With all the Dolphins fans in England – and there are plenty – I’m guessing it will be a huge pro-Dolphins crowd, almost like a ninth home game.

4. There are some interesting human interest storylines that will unfold during the season. How about Joe Philbin coaching against his old Packers team for the first time? Or Knowshon Moreno trying to run against his former teammates on the Broncos? Or left tackle Branden Albert lined up against his former Chiefs team? We’ll certainly hear about all of those as they draw closer.

5. The Dolphins are in prime time only two times this season and only one of those games are at home, a Thursday night date against the Buffalo Bills in mid-November. I know that’s a by-product of so many years out of the playoffs, but I look forward to the day the Dolphins appear more than once on Monday night. This franchise has had some unforgettable Monday night memories. It’s time the Dolphins made some new ones.

6. Finally, I like that the Dolphins end the season with back-to-back home games against the Vikings and Jets. That offers real December promise. But, as we learned last season, there are no guarantees. Far more important than who you play is how you play. We thought the schedule set up perfectly last season with the final two games against AFC East teams not named New England. But the Dolphins played poorly in both games against the Bills and Jets. That’s the challenge this season. Get in that position again and this time make the most of it.